Let’s face it. Technology rapidly develops in a short span of time. It is also coupled with a consciousness that as if technology can address man’s daily problems and challenges. Such consciousness may even challenge the necessity and authenticity of faith in man’s life. Nations keep developing and rising in various aspects because of the promises of technology. Indeed, technology promises to address various aspects in man’s life, but does it have the final say of everything? Is it really enough to say that technology solves man’s perennial problems? And, does it even have to determine everything – even in matters of faith?
In a recent Apostolic Letter (Motu Proprio Data) entitled Porta Fidei, Pope Benedict XVI inculcated the need to harness that “sense of faith” even in the context of globalization. On my reflections, what he mentions about “sense of faith” is not a faith that is “extraneous” to man’s life, but wholly integrated in his everyday living because it speaks about his true identity. It is true that coupled with the rise of techno-cultured society is everyone’s search for identity. We got social networking sites capable of facilitating that desire to express who we are, what we do, what we want to do, what we desire, and what we think right now. Such sites are increasingly becoming compasses of the search for identity.
In this Apostolic Letter, Pope Benedict XVI calls the faithful to intensify that sense of faith even in our time. As a seminarian, it is important to live that sense of faith in every moment of the day. Of course, it is a challenge for me to live that life because there are lots of difficulties and influences made by globalization. One difficulty is the risk of confusing things according to our own standards. The evidence is found in our choices. Sometimes we choose things because we want to, and we think it is right. But to live in that “sense of faith”, we choose things because we have discerned about it, passionate about it, genuinely happy about it, as rooted in the love of Jesus.
Hence, living that “sense of faith” harnesses our Christ-like compass, that is, the compass to love. When faith is towards communion, not only membership, there is intimacy among the persons in the community. Membership is concerned about registry and obligations, but communion invites deep concern among persons. There is this sense of solidarity among them, solidarity that is moved to love. It is no surprise that when a person is upright and just, it is because of the community that brings that person to be upright and just. Being a seminarian, in my case, is not of a vacuum. I entered the seminary because of the influence of the community around me. They are my co-discerners. They had that compass to love because they knew well how important a priest is in a community.
Let us then enter this “door of faith”! May this “door of faith” lead us to discover who we really are, so that in our journey, we may find true happiness. We are, first of all, facilitators of technology because we want to be truly happy. We do not get eaten by technology, but rather as an aid for us to harness that compass of love because love is what makes us truly happy. Faith, as a way of life, is never antagonistic of technology insofar as technology serves the true good of humanity. Hence, the “door of faith” invites us to be present, making that compass of love possible for others to discover. What a wonderful world we have where each has that compass of love, united yet unique in its own way!
Let us enter that “door of faith”!
MEMOIRS OF A CANDLE 